We lost power from Hurricane Irene, so my wife sent me to a local laundromat with some laundry. I went to the nearest bank to exchange a genuine $20 bill for two rolls of quarters and the teller asked me if I had an account at the bank. When I replied that I did not, she told me the 'Patriot Act' prohibited her from exchanging money for non-customers. I haven't read the full text of the 'Patriot Act' so I could not tell her she was wrong, so I appeal to the greater wisdom of trapshooters.com. Was she full of baloney or not? Many thanks.

I just cleaned out our coin op pop machine and bulk change that we had at work. Took it to the closest bank....not the bank we use, and they ran $525.00 worth of quarters thru their change counter and gave me cash back for it. N/C

L.A., welcome to the World of Stupid. When you go to your bank, ask the manager about this. Be sure to tell them what bank it happened at and which employee said this, that way when this nit-wit gets fired for incompetence your bank won't hire them.

Sorry guys, but you are the ones living in the world of stupid. The teller did exactly the correct thing.

It works this way. The PATRIOT Act, adopted shortly after 9/11, amended something called the Bank Secrecy Act, referred to by bankers as BSA. The amendment of the BSA essentially compels bankers to perform something called a Customer Identification Process before doing business with anyone. Granted exchanging a twenty for a couple rolls of coin seems to be over the top. Nonetheless, lots of banks have policies that if you are not a customer, and thus have been through CIP, you are not going to get so much as the time of day. It's the only way to keep the bank, its officers and employees, and shareholders safe. The teller you jerks have maligned was simply executing bank policy to ensure compliance with federal law and regulation.

The next time you idiots want to take some soul to task who is not present to defend themselves, you might stop and think (assuming you are capable) if there just might be a reason for what seems so odd.

And by the way, if you think the PATRIOT Act is nothing more than Big Brother flexing his muscles you got the picture. So get off you ass and help elect folks who will vote not to renew the PATRIOT Act, and an apology to the teller would also be the right thing to do.

I remember when the Patriot Act was being passed, there was a question as to reporting of specified transactions, not just the one for any transactions of $10,000 or more in one business day, which I have heard has now been lowered to $7000.00.

Purpose was to stop money laundering for terrorist activity, but I find it intrusive when I have to compelete some sort of paperwork for the Patriot Act, when buy a new car. That is CRAP!

The greater than $10,000.00 rule is still valid for transactions completed using currency, and certain transactions of $3,000.00 or more (such as buying a cashier's check) must be recorded for the federal government.

So while some hapless trapshooter cannot buy a couple rolls of quarters the federal government reports tens of billions were wasted or missing in Iraq.

I love the Patriot Act!! Renew this law. Only liberals want to see this repealed. And some on here call them conservatives yet fear the Patriot Act LMAO....yeah, can you say HYPOCRITE!!! Must be suffering from Bachmannism: say one thing but do the complete opposite when no one is looking.